A sex expert sparked a heated debate when she argued that schools should give pupils more 'explicit' sex education.

Belgian sexologist Goedele Liekens, 54, appeared on This Morning today to explain her methods, which include encouraging teenage boys to shave their pubic hair and giving teenage girls mirrors to take home so they can examine their genitalia.

At one point presenter Phillip Schofield held up a plush anatomical model of a vagina that Ms Liekens advocates being shown to children as young as seven.

Ms Liekens also advocates for sex education to be made compulsory GCSE subject, arguing that a better understanding of the body gives children a sense of empowerment that encourages them to make better decisions when it comes to sex.

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Explicit education: Phillip Schofield holds up a plush anatomical model of a vagina that sexologist Goedele Liekens, 54, believes should be shown to children as young as seven

The idea was blasted by radio presenter Nick Ferrari who said it could 'traumatise' young girls

Ms Liekens' progressive ideas struck a chord with dozens of viewers who took to Twitter to show their support.

One urged schools and parents to be 'open minded' about what children are taught, while another tweeted: 'This woman is brilliant!! We need to help young people understand sex education To stop teen pregnancies and so much more.'

However others spoke out against Ms Liekens, including LBC radio presenter Nick Ferrari, who was invited on the programme to debate the issue.

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Commenting on the plush vagina model, Mr Ferarri argued it could 'traumatise' pupils.

'Things like that just frighten me,' he said. 'I think that could really traumatise a young girl. I don't even want to think about what the alternative would be for a young boy. Yes it does need a reform but this is a step way, way too far.'

Ms Liekens, who is also a therapist, took part in a new Channel 4 documentary that saw her lead a sex education course at a school in Lancashire.

A clip from the programme seen on This Morning showed Ms Liekens talking a group of 16 and 17-year-old girls through an anatomical model of the vagina before handing them each a mirror to take home so that they could look at their own genitalia.

She also said that they should feel free to touch themselves if they wanted in order to fully explore their bodies.

Phillip questioned whether some parents might see such 'homework' as inappropriate, but Ms Liekens explained: 'It's very important for young girls to feel comfortable with their own body and also with their vagina.

'Research have shown that at least half of women have a negative view of their own body. That's why we teach them - at home of course, not in the classroom - to have a look, to touch and to feel comfortable. It's important for their own sexual health.'

Heated: Ms Liekens and Mr Ferrari came close to clashing as they debated the topic on TV

Another session led by Ms Liekens saw her encourage male pupils to spend a week shaving their pubic hair every day in order to better teach them about the struggle faced by girls and women who feel pressured to shave their public hair.

She also pointed to a number of studies that highlighted the positive effect of 'explicit' sex education on children.

She said: 'We've seen that sex education is so important if you want young people to wait, to know why they might want to have sex. We've noticed internationally the more sex education you give, the later they will start to have sex.'

If I tell people what fun it is to drive a Ferrari racing car up the M1 at 100mph don't be surprised if they want to do it, and it's the same with kids and sex

Broadcaster Nick Ferrari

Commenting on the effect her lessons had on the pupils in Lancashire, she added: 'You see a very, very clear, positive attitude. The girls have been empowered. They speak in a very clear and open way to the boys.'

Mr Ferrari agreed that there needed to be 'better sex education' in schools but blasted her specific ideas for what should be taught in classrooms.

He said: 'It is not the role of the state to tell young girls to take a mirror into their bedroom and do whatever or to tell young boys to take a razor into their bedroom and do whatever.

'If I was a parent in a school like that I would be absolutely enraged and I would have everybody in front of the relevant court or the social services department.

'Do we need a better sex education? Yes we probably do. Do we need a younger sex education? I'm prepared to buy into that. But I can see no other reason for the things Philip and Holly have pointed out than it gets you headlines.'

The broadcaster later added that he would prefer sex education to focus on the issues of consent and argued that if teenagers were taught about orgasms they would only be encouraged to have sex.

He added: 'If I tell people what fun it is to drive a Ferrari racing car up the M1 at 100mph don't be surprised if they want to do it, and it's the same with kids and sex.'

But Ms Liekens hit back: 'If you tell young people "be careful, don't drive a Ferarri that fast", they are going to want to drive a Ferrari that fast.'